The Wondrous Story

1. SC_01 iodas SC_02 why SC_03 The Wondrous Story SC_04 Agios SC_05 Above All SC_06 O Beloved SC_07 Via Dolorosa SC_08 gholghosa end

2. I was even considered as one of His disciples. However, my social status and my relation with Jewish nobility, created a barrier, which prevented me from getting closer to Him, interacting with Him and fully benefiting from Him during His presence on earth. I, Joseph, a wealthy man from Arimathea, was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish council. “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Jewish priests have bribed one of Jesus’ disciples who’s name is Judas with 30 pieces of silver to deliver Him to them home

3. Iodas Iodas O ParanomosYahouza (x6) Mokhalef Al Namous home

4. Oh Joseph .. Do not remind me .. It was themost significant incident of my life, and themost critical decision, which lead me to pain, torture, and condemned me to eternal death. But you know Joseph what was the worst thing about all this? I knew first hand of His loving nature and that He forgives all those who ask. Regrettably, by this time, I had lost my faith and forgot His Loving Kindness. So I went and hung myself, loosing any hope for salvation. But it was the devil, the enemy of mankind. He tempted me with riches, and the love of money is the root of all evil. So it was because of the love of money and my weakness that all this happened. home

5. Why did it have to be a friend who…chose to betray the Lord And why did He use a kiss to show them…That’s not what a kiss is for Only a friend can betray a friend…a stranger has nothing to gain It should have been a royal one…made of jewels and gold instead It had to be a crown of thorns…because in this life that we live For all who would seek to love a thorn is…all the world has to give And why did there have to be a heavy…cross He was made to bear And why did they nail His feet and hands…when His love would have held Him there Jesus had come into the world…to steal every heart away Yes, Jesus had come into the world…to steal every heart away And only a friend comes close enough to…ever cause so much pain And why did there have to be a thorny…crown pressed upon His head It was a cross, for on a cross…A thief was supposed to pay home

6. I was astonished by that man’s behavior. Even while we were arresting Him, He would still do good. He would care for the safety of his followers and heal the person who came to arrest Him. A strange person indeed. I will never forget that look on His face … a very deep piercing look that moved me. A look of pain mixed with bitterness. A look of blame mixed with love. A look of kindness mixed with forgiveness. A look of weakness mixed with power. Then I decided to follow the crowd to see what was going to happen. Will the God in whom we have believed in and all His power have victory? Will the person that we have witnessed perform all these miracles be delivered from His enemies... Or was it all a beautiful dream that began to fade away when the priests and the elderly laid their hands on him in the garden of Gethsemane. He used to love me deeply even though I had a hot temper … He used to say: “you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. home

7. I will sing the wondrous storyof the Christ who died for meHow He left His home in gloryfor the cross of Calvary Kana bel amsee Ya goulouYassna3ou al khair al 3azeemWa younady bel hayatyYashfy gorh al mot3abeen Kana hobohou 3ageebanIz ahaba al athymeenThaly anahou Yassou3oukad ahaba koula hine I was bruised, but Jesus healed mefaint was I from many a fallSight was gone, and fears possessed mebut He freed me from them all Kad oumeet al hobo zolmanKad ou meeta bel salibMantekou al nassy talashaIz bada al hobo al sakeeb Enahou Hobone sa yabkaabad al dahry yakounLaiysaa hoboun mithlou hazaSadikoun dowman hanoon He will keep me till the river Rolls its waters at my feetThen he'll bear me safely overWhere the loved ones I shall meet Yes, I'll sing the wondrous storyOf the Christ who died for meSing it with the saints in glorygathered by the crystal sea Wahwa mass7oukou al fouadyWahwa magrou7ou al gabineKad rawaha lee habiby Bel damel ghaly el thamine I was lost, but Jesus found mefound the sheep that went astrayThrew His loving arms around medrew me back in to His way Days of darkness still come o'er mesorrow's paths I often treadBut the Savior still is with meby His hand I'm safely led Kesat ol hobo el 3ageebyKad tagalat fee salibKad rawaha lee habiby Sa3at el sumt el rahib Wahwa mass7oukou al fouadyWahwa magrou7ou al gabineKad rawaha lee habiby Bel damel ghaly el thamine home

8. A man of confidant figure, magnificent appearance with a glorious and bright image, that all who looked at him had to love and fear him. His face was peaceful and enlightening. His eyes glowed like the sun, and no one could look at His shining face. Despite being the High Priest of the law, I could not realize the time of fulfillment of the prophecies of the law. “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” And Jesus answered, “Yes, it is as you say. But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” In my own opinion, it was better for all that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish. home

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10. But they were cunning and turned the course of action around completely. They told me they were accusing Him of blasphemy as He proclaimed Himself to be the King of the Jews, knowing very well that there is no other King in the Roman Empire other than Caesar and whoever proclaimed himself King was to be labeled a traitor and sentenced to death. But was it the Jews… or was it myself who rejected God’s approach? Refusing to meet Him even when He himself came to meet me. Neglecting His overwhelming love that made Him come to me that I may judge Him and condemn Him to death. That amazing Look which goes deep into the heart. This incredible image that overwhelms the feelings. He said very few words, but they were very moving. home

11. Above all kings And thought of me Above all Above all kings Above all wisdom andall the ways of man You were here beforethe world began Above all wonders the worldhas ever known Above all nature andall created things Above all powers Above all wealth andtreasures of the earth You lived to die Rejected and alone Like a rose trampledon the ground You took the fall Laid behind the stone Crucified You took the fall Above all Above all Above all wisdom andall the ways of man You were here beforethe world began Above all kingdoms Above all thrones Like a rose trampledon the ground Above all wealth andtreasures of the earth There's no way to measurewhat You're worth Above all wonders the worldhas ever known Laid behind the stone You lived to die Rejected and alone Like a rose trampledon the ground You took the fall And thought of me Crucified Above all powers There's no way to measurewhat You're worth Above all thrones Above all kingdoms Above all nature andall created things And thought of me home

12. Pontius Pilate wanted to save Jesus from the penalty of death, so he cleverly gave the choice to the Jews as to which prisoner they would set free as per tradition in the holy Passover. Myself? Or Jesus of Nazareth? The moment the judgment was announced was the first time I saw Him. He was not a criminal; he was not a killer or even caught in treason. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent. He was the Savior who came to the world to redeem what has perished when sin entered the world. home

13. O Beloved, O BelovedNailed unto the Cross for me That we could always rememberFor our sins Thou wert abused O what sin hast Thou committed?Thou Who calleth all to be Daughter of Zion behold meStricken and smitten for thee Shedding my Blood for thee to ransomAnd my Flesh for thee to sup Despised, rejected, with grief acquaintedAnd of men was not esteemed King, Creator, Lord and MasterBy His creatures, mocked and jeered All alone I’ll tread the winepressAll alone I’ll drink the cup I was bound, and I was smittenAnd they did spit in my face I was stripped, and I was scouredI was condemned in your place Every time you sin a newIt’s one more nail in My hand Lord created in us a fountainThat with tears will ever flow O that we could shed the tearsOver Thy feet pierced and bruised That we could always rememberFor our sins Thou wert abused Bruised, and wounded, sore afflictedYet with His stripes we were healed Like a lamb brought to the slaughterLike a dumb sheep to be sheered O that we could shed the tearsOver Thy feet pierced and bruised Friend and kin, me have forsakenThere is none to comfort me Your sins became my crown of thornsO that you would understand Worshipping Thine holy PassionCrucifying the flesh for Thee O Beloved, wish that I couldSpend the rest of life with Thee And a heart contrite and brokenAnd the Spirit within renew home

14. Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. yet to me it was more like dead scriptures on rocks… very ridged teachings lacking life… instruction and laws lacking spiritual depth in my relation with God… His teachings enlightened the law and brought it to life so that the difficult laws became easy to bear and understand. Truly His words were alive for in fact He was the heart of the law and the author of the law. home

15. Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that dayThe Soldiers tried to clear the narrow streetsBut the crowd pressed in to seeThe Man condemned to die on Calvary He was bleeding from a beatingThere were stripes upon His backAnd He wore a crown of thorns upon His HeadAnd He bore with every stepThe scorn of those who cried out for His death Down the Via Dolorosa called the "Way of Suffering"Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the KingBut He chose to walk that roadOut of his love for you and meDown the Via Dolorosa all the way to Calvary Fee tareek el Golgotha quad sara yaoman sayedeeWal gonoodo tas3a kai tokhly tareelkIz tazahamal gamee3 leyarao kaifa yokafa ou sedeek Fee Tareek el Golgotha sara elahona al HabeebSara tao3an wa khteyaran lel salibKabila Yasoo3 al maota Men aglek wa men agleeFitareek el Golgotha sara al habeeb. Ela salib The blood that would cleanseThe souls of all menMade its way to the heartOf Jerusalem Fee Tareek el Golgotha sara elahona al HabeebSara tao3an wa khteyaran lel salibKabila Yasoo3 al maota Men aglek wa men agleeFitareek el Golgotha sara al habeeb. Ela salib home

16. I saw a crowned king who did not choose to wear a crown of gold but a crown of thorns. He did not choose His throne among the royal thrones of kings, but chose it to be a cross. He did not choose to reign in the halls of kings, but he chose to be hung on the kranioun. He did not choose to reign over nations although He is King of kings the Lord of lords. He chose to reign in our hearts with love. And I saw the Lord’s love in the Christ hanging on the cross. For there is no greater love than for one to sacrifice their life for a loved one. You would think that I have overtaken the kingdom of God by one word but in fact these moments were worth a lifetime as if my past life was insignificant compared to these crucial moments. Those few moments granted me the privilege of being the first to enter the kingdom of heaven. I was overwhelmed and cried out to Him saying: “Remember me O Lord when I come into your kingdom. Remember me my Savior when I come into your kingdom. Remember me my King when I come into your kingdom.” So He looked at me with tenderness and said with the might of a king “Today you shall be with me in my paradise.” home

17. The End home